Patna: Barely a day after the formation of Bihar’s new government under Nitish Kumar, one of the youngest ministers in the cabinet has emerged as an unlikely social-media phenomenon. Deepak Prakash, son of Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha and MLA Snehlata Kushwaha, has assumed office despite never having contested an election — and curiosity around him has surged rapidly across search engines and social platforms.
Prakash, 36, who left a career in software engineering, was appointed minister soon after the NDA returned to power with a commanding majority of 202 seats. Asked why he had been given a cabinet berth, he said the question was “best answered by my father”, a remark that fuelled further online chatter.
From tech career to cabinet seat
Born in 1989, Prakash completed his schooling in Patna before earning a BTech in computer science from Manipal University in 2011. He worked as an engineer, later ran a startup and eventually joined politics in 2019 to assist his father during the Lok Sabha elections. His swift rise — from party worker to minister — has stirred debate about political legacy and rapid political elevation in Bihar.
The public interest in Sakshi Mishra Kushwaha
Alongside Prakash, another figure has been attracting attention: his wife, Sakshi Mishra Kushwaha. During the 2025 Bihar assembly campaign, Sakshi was widely noticed while canvassing for her mother-in-law in the Kurtha constituency, where Snehlata Kushwaha contested as an RLM candidate.
Sakshi, originally from Uttar Pradesh, is the daughter of retired IAS officer S.N. Mishra. She describes herself as a social worker and has maintained an active public presence, often appearing in traditional attire during community events and religious observances — something that, according to party workers, has endeared her to the Kushwaha family’s voter base.
Family sources say she is “treated like a daughter” by her in-laws, and her consistent participation in cultural festivals — from Chhath to family religious rituals — has strengthened her popularity in local circles.
A political family consolidates influence
The Kushwaha family now holds three prominent positions: the father as MP, the mother as MLA and the son as minister. Prakash is expected to enter the Legislative Council as well, completing the family’s consolidation across both houses of the state legislature.
